You*
by Jaclenia
Summary: Okay, this is, of course, darien and serena, but they must overcome a certain situation to get there. please r&r!! My 1st one.
1. Default Chapter

*You*  
Season #1  
Episode One- Roomates  
By: jaclenia  
jaclenia@hotmail.com  
Insert Usual Disclaimer Here  
Each Episode Is In It's Own A Story.   
Just Like A TV Show!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Darien entered the cab, closing the door with a great deal of   
effort. The handle felt a little greasy, as if someone had wiped the   
top of a fast-food hamburger on it. He told the driver the location and  
pulled a small, gold trimmed card out of his pocket to reread for the   
third time. Andrew, his year-long boyfriend, had sent this to him this  
morning at his office.  
  
It was written in small sentences with words and inuendos that  
made it blunt and straight to the point. The card had told him to meet  
Andrew at "their" place. The location wasn't very private; in fact, it   
was one of the most public places in town. The bridge in Central Park  
where the yearly Boating Competition is held for kids. It had been  
during one of these competitions that he'd come out to his girlfriend  
at the time, leaving her alone as he drove off with Andrew. Since then,  
Andrew and Darien had lived together in his comfortable apartment that  
overlooked the bay. It had become a ritual for them to go out at least  
once a week, most of the time with friend's of Andrew's cousin, Mina.  
  
A carriage held two women with a little dark haired girl in   
their lamp. She had deep blue eyes, almost purple, and her skin was   
white and pale. The two women were exchanging glances and Darien  
followed them with his eyes until they were out of view.   
  
The cab stopped at the front gated entrance to the park and   
Darien handed him three five's that were stuck together by sweat from  
his palm. As he got onto the sidewalk, he wiped his hand on his pair  
of khaki pants. A girl of about sixteen years of age was selling roses,  
their petals and leaves lined with little silver sparkles. He   
approached her and she did gave him a slight curtsey.  
  
"Greetings. Would you care to buy a rose," she questioned in a  
well-rehearsed manner, one gloved hand extended containingg a rose. Giving her   
the dollar, he took the rose and continued on his trek. The bridge was close in   
view, the outline of his blond boyfriend already revealed in the September sky.   
  
The green coat Andrew had gotten him for his birthday was   
slipped off and carried in one muscularly toned arm as his pace   
quickened. It had become one of his favorite articles of clothing and  
it kept him warm enough. Today though, it was unnessesary as the air  
was warm, unusual for a New York September.   
  
A few children across the path a few feet ahead of him ran   
past followed by a golden retriever and a thrity-something man running  
in a business suit. All in all, it made quite the amusing scene. He kept on   
until Andrew was right in front of him, his back turned and gaze at the water   
below them, which was clear and beheld a family of ducks, their quacking showing   
an animated conversation.  
  
"You beckoned," Darien whispered as he slid the arm that held   
the rose around Andrew's shoulder, it's petals brushing the older man's  
cheek. His eyes flashed for a moment before he stood straight, his gaze   
never meeting Darien's.  
  
"We need to talk, Darien." The voice held no emotion and his   
face was a blank canvase, almost as if it had been pasted on with super  
glue. This unnerved Darien a little, but he didn't let it show. He   
leaned one elbow on the bridge's cement railing and waited for him to   
continue the conversation.  
  
"About us. This relationship. Darien," he began and turned to   
meet him face to face, eye to eye.  
  
"It's just not going to work. I can't do this anymore and...  
well there's someone else."  
  
Darien stood still, his eyes closed and fingers laced in such a  
tight grip the color had left. The skin was stretched across the bone,  
each dent showing even more bone through the paper thin skin than the   
loss of color had. His bit his lip to prevent from doing anything rash,  
which was pretty much every *single* thought that was pulsating through  
his twenty-eight year old mind. They ranged from throwing the guy in   
the river... punching out his face... re-routing his intenstinal   
system so he has to take a shit out his nose... any of the above. One   
long breath was released and his eyes opened once again, blinking a few  
times before they adjusted to the light.   
  
"Fine. Who is he?" If he was going to be dumped, he'd at least  
like to know what man had had the guts to do it.  
  
"There isn't a he," Andrew replied, lingering on the last word.  
  
"What do you mean, 'there isn't a he?' You just SAID there was   
someone else!! How can somone replace me? I gave up that girl for you,   
and my family did everything but disown me when they found out!! How   
could you do this?!?!" Darien towered over the blonde, his form being   
at least three inches higher by itself.  
  
"Well, there's not a *he*. It's a she."   
  
Before Darien had any time to reply, Mina jogged up with an ice  
cream cone in each hand. She flashed him a smile before she handed the  
mint chocolate chip one to Andrew along with a napkin.  
  
"MINA?! Man, she's your cousin!!"  
  
"No I'm not," she replied, turning to look him in the eye.  
  
"We've been friends for a long time and well, when you were out  
of town on business we kind of... consumated our feelings for one   
another."  
  
His hand swiped away a few ebony strands that fell into his   
eyes. This was all too much. It couldn't be happening. It just could   
NOT happen. And there was one slim hell of a chance he was going to let Andrew   
go with out him knowing this.  
  
"BUT YOU CAN'T DO THIS!!! YOUR GAY!!!!"  
  
He closed his eyes and battled between himself and reality in his mind for   
longer than he thought for when he opened his eyes again, they were both gone.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Serena fastened the rope at her back with a few extra tugs and  
checked her appearance once more before she went to the counter. She'd  
just punched in, 12:55, as usual on the dot. She worked at the Sunny  
Café for the past five years, as long as she'd lived in the city. It  
was only a part-time job though. Her day-time job was as a Fashion  
Designer for Saks, but she'd promised her grandmother, the owner of the café, on   
her death bed that she would take care of the place. Serena, being the loyal   
person she was, did so and was now full owner of her own fashion line and café.  
  
The two other people that worked the afternoon shift with her   
were already setting places for the small group that had already formed  
outside their doors. She placed a few of the freshly made cinnamon buns  
on a display case next to the counter, sucking a few drips of frosting  
from her fingers. A little dab of instant-sanitizer eliminated the   
chance of getting a fine for un-healthy atmosphere and she turned the   
key to open the register. Her right had raised up, index finger   
extended, signaling the okay for them to open.   
  
A few people walked up right away, her regulars. Most were   
lawyers from the firm down the block on their lunch break, a couple of   
college students from the fine art's college. She knew each of their   
orders by heart and began to make each. Their payment amount being   
memorized by the customers, they layed it across the counter as they   
took their food/drinks.   
  
She conversed with a few of them, their opinions on the world   
at the moment and their relationships. She wasn't into the conversation   
though. Her mind was wandering as to the whereabouts of one of her   
favorite regulars, Darien Shields. They'd known eachother since the   
time he met Andrew and he came in every weekday to talk to her. She   
wasn't sure if he knew just how much she looked forward to his   
visiting.  
  
The bells from the ornate decoration that hung on the door   
jingled, notifying her of another customer. A smile passed her eyes   
and lips as she walked over to Darien at the counter, pad in hand.  
  
"Hey. How are you today?"  
  
She didn't receive an answer, just a small sound somewhere between a whine   
and a moan as he rested his head on the folded arms before him. She mouthed to   
Lita that she was going to take a break and sat next to him. His body twitched   
just enough to alert her, then she realized he was crying. It bothered her to   
see someone so close to her this upset so she tried to comfort him by holding   
him in a hug. He wrapped his own arms around her, his tears making her full-size   
apron wet in the corners.  
  
"Dare, what's wrong," she asked in her mother-tone. It was   
something the two had named it after she'd spoken to him like this   
before. Her fingers stroked his dark hair until his sobs subsided.   
His eyes were already red as he looked up into her eyes.  
  
"You wanna talk about?"  
  
He nodded and straightened in his seat. The napkin was used to  
dip in the water and applied to his forehead, cooling the slight fever  
he hadn't noticed before.  
  
"He left me Sere. He left me for a... for a... Oh who am I   
kidding?! HE LEFT ME FOR A WOMAN!!" he yelled falling into another   
fit of sobs. Serena's eyes darted from side to side at the entire café  
who's interest Darien's outburst had aroused.   
  
"Heh, heh," she mumbled as she patted him on the back, moving   
away from him a few centimeters.   
  
"It's okay. I'm sure your better off without him." Wrong thing   
to say. As soon as she said these words, Darien began to scream out   
words in micro-pharases that were were so high-shreaked, it reminded   
her of the lead in her seventh grade Shakespeare play where a boy sang   
a note and squeked because he'd hit puberty. She cringed at the memory.  
That, and the fact that he was causing a scene by shaking his fists,   
gaze upwards, as though challenging God to a street fight.  
  
"WHY?! WHAT CAN SHE GIVE HIM THAT I CAN'T?!"  
  
"Darien," she began,"I think we both know the answer to that."  
She bit her lip to stifle a laugh as he scowled.   
  
"Sere, it's not that." His voice was calmer now and he leaned   
back against the cusioned seats.   
  
"It's just that, when I came home from work, I saw the moving   
truck turn around the corner. Then when I got upstairs.. all his stuff   
had been moved out. He even emptied out the garbage can. I can't afford the rent   
by myself. Now I need to find a roomate."  
  
They sat together for a few moments of silence, the crowd now   
turning back to the mini-soap operas' occuring in their own lives. A   
loud shout, followed by the threats of some passing police men caught   
Serena's attention and she looked up to see her boyfriend running down   
the street stark-naked, three overweight officers struggling to keep up  
with him.   
  
"Freedom!! Free yourselves from your cheap material clothes and   
be the way you were born!!" The shouts were clear and she sunk down so   
low she fell under the counter-top.   
  
"Hey Sere. Wasn't that your..?"  
  
"Don't remind me." She heard him laugh a little and slapped his  
leg while standing up.   
  
"I'll get you some coffee. On the house." She walked off   
without waiting for his reply, for she didn't need one.   
  
Lita was finishing with a customer as Serena came behind the   
green counter-top and filled a styrofoam cup to pour the caffinated   
liquid into.   
  
"You know Serena, I've been thinking."  
  
"Alert the media," she exclaimed, fake enthusiasm oozing from   
every word.   
  
"Shut up. I mean it though, you should move in with him."  
  
Serena spilled a little of the scalding coffee on her hand and  
gave out a few words not used in public society. Luckily for her   
business, she'd whispered them.  
  
"Are you kidding? I couldn't, I mean, what about Richard?" she  
asked, indicating the naked boyfriend.  
  
"Your telling me that you think you'll be seeing him tonight   
when you come home? Anyway, you were thinking about leaving him so I   
don't see any reason not to."  
  
She pondered her friend's word. They were true, but still. It   
would be nice to live with him. The guy did have good taste, as did   
most gay men. They did enjoy eachother's company and there wouldn't be   
any harm to either party. Shrugging the thought to the back of her   
mind, she grabbed an extra pastry and went over to Darien.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
They talked about a half an hour away reminisicing about old boyfriends,   
their jobs, and anything else they could think of to get their minds off of   
their initial conversation. It worked for the most part, except that he would   
always find some loophole that connected the topic to Andrew. Example,   
  
"Remember that sale they had last week? Where those really cool pants were   
like, fifty-percent off?"  
  
"Yeah, Andrew bought a matching pair for him and me." Followed by a fit of   
sobs.  
  
"What about that little club down the street from you apartment?"  
  
"Andrew's favorite." Another fit of sobs. It went on like this and soon,   
she gave up all together. It was to the point of no return and she decided that   
if she didn't move in with him, he'd go into a depression.  
  
"I'll do it," she announced.  
  
"Do what," he stifled as he wiped a few tears with his sweatshirt sleave.  
  
"I'll be your roomate. It's just what you need right now."  
  
His eyebrows srunched at this comment. His mind was still in moping mode   
and the following words just didn't process.  
  
"What about your boyfriend?" he asked once his brain had caught up to the   
task at hand.  
  
"You saw what happened. I'll just need you to help me move out my stuff,   
which isn't that much I'm afraid. Richard didn't like having 'girly things'   
clouding his masculine space. At least, that's what he said in so many more   
unintelligent words. In fact, I'm not really sure what he would say half the   
time. I think he ate paint-chips as a kid."  
  
He nodded his head that was now resting on his hand, a thoughtful look   
upon his face. She went to take someone's order, did so, and then returned to   
the booth where he sat unmoved.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked, flicking him in the ear. No response so she did   
it again, only harder. He blinked a few times before it all registered then he   
was out of the seat, rubbing the offended ear.  
  
"What was that for?!"  
  
"You went into a coma," she told him in a calm tone as she took a sip of   
her Coke. He sat down a few inches farther than before and he made sure her   
fingers never came near his face for the rest of the day.  
An ear could only take so much.   
  
"Let's just say that you do move in."  
  
"Yes," she droned as he had yet to continue the sentence.  
  
"Um. Why don't you just move in."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
They arranged the day, and decided against hiring proffesional movers.   
Serena's brother owned a truck service and could move all her stuff for free.   
Family perks, and father's orders. She'd move into his place on Sunday which   
gave her two days to pack a few small boxes worth of stuff. Lita came over to   
help and they spent the Saturday night watching Sleepless In Seattle with a bag   
of popcorn.   
  
The morning of her move, Serena woke at the designated time of seven. She   
hadn't enjoyed sleeping on her floor with a few mismatched sheets that much but   
she dealt with it. The thought of sleeping in the bed that night in such a great   
place with Darien had made it that much more bearable.   
  
Her brother came down the street pounding on the horn like a madman. She   
wasn't even dressed yet and he was still an hour early. It's ironic how the   
movers can be more dependable than your own brother. Either that or she was   
expecting too much.   
  
The move took them a grand total of.... a half an hour. It would have   
taken less if the expanse between his place and her boyfriends wasn't a twenty   
minute ride. The extra ten minutes is caused by the three times her brother had   
gotten lost. The first time it was that he had the map upside-down. The second   
time, he thought a crumb from his donut was the dot they'd made earlier to   
specify Darien's apartment. The third time, they'd gone in a circle and ended   
back at her place. Brothers. GEEZ!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
With her few things moved in, Darien flipped through the cable channels,   
listening to her rummaging through his cabinets for pots and other things she   
needed to make.. what was she making again?  
  
"SSSSEEEERRREEENNNAAA!!"  
  
"WHAT?! You don't have to yell! I'm only ten feet away!" He blinked once,   
twice, then remembered his question.  
  
"Whatever. What are you making anyway?"  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you this," she questioned as she plopped   
down next to him on the couch. Her legs rested on his lap while she lay back   
rubbing her temples.  
  
"By a recent survey, it takes thirteen times for something to sink into my   
thick skull. According to Times Magazine"  
  
"You got that right. I'm making, grap a pen," she added before continuing,   
"Sausage Pasta."  
  
"Oh yeah. Is the news okay with you?"  
  
"Whatever. I'm so tired from today I'll fall asleep half-way through it   
anyway," she mumbled already half-asleep.  
  
He began to rub her lower leg muscles as the news began. A few minutes in,   
Darien began to laugh.  
  
"What's so funny," she asked having been awaken from a pleasant dream that   
she'd begun to miss.  
  
"Richard's on TV."  
  
Turning towards the screen, sure enough, it showed a picture of her nude   
boyfriend running down Fifth Avenue being chased by now six police officers.  
  
"So," she asked, laying back down. His laughter dissipated and he got a   
thoughtful look on his face.  
  
"Is he wearing those Dock Martin's I got you for you birthday?"  
  
At these words, Serena shot up so fast that she fell onto the floor.   
Looking up, she saw the he did indeed have on her two hundred dollar pair of   
Dock Martins on.  
  
"Mr. Richard Bar will be in jail for five months for his 'Freedom' stunt."  
  
"NOOOOOOO!!!!" she screamed in anguish while crawling to the TV and   
hugging it.  
  
"Jeez, Sere. I'm sure he'll be released sooner than that," Darien told   
her, a little unnerved by how emotional she was getting.  
  
"It's not him, it's the shoes!!! There going to be useless by the time   
I'll get them back!!!!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
End Episode One!!! I thought that was pretty cool. I figured this one out at   
school and realized that I'd never read a fanfic where Darien was gay so why   
not? But remember, this doesn't necessarily mean that he and Sere won't get   
together. Then again, it doesn't mean they will so stay tuned for Episode 2!!!! 


	2. *you* episode 2 -leather pants-

*You*  
Season 1  
Episode 2- Leather Pants  
By: Jaclenia  
jaclenia@hotmail.com  
Insert Usual Disclaimer  
Each Episode Is In It's Own A Story.  
Just Like A TV Show!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"SERE?! REMIND ME TO *NEVER* LET YOU COOK AGAIN!!"   
  
The girl of whom this anger is directed shuffled in the sheets, twirling   
them around her tiny figure before she crawled out of the bed. Her hair,   
brushing against her knees in pools of gold, gave a glow when the light from the   
windows struck them. It almost made Darien catch his breath when he saw her.   
  
"What's your problem," she mumbled between movements for coffee.   
  
"This," he said holding up a pan with what was supposed to be her Sausage   
Pasta but was now a hardened mix between mold and burnt cheese. She giggled in   
nervousness and pulled the sheets a little tighter around herself.  
  
"Oops. Guess I forgot to turn of the burner last night."  
  
"OOPS?! SERE, COME BACK HERE?!" he yelled at her back as she retreated to   
the bathroom.   
  
"What did I get myself into?" He asked this question to the air around him   
and tossed the ruined pan into the garbage.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Serena locked the door behind her and tossed the sheets into the laundry   
basket under the sink. She felt bad about ruining his pot and made a note of   
buying him a new one. He had been nice enough to move her in and she'd gone and   
ruined the chance of cooking dinner ever again on the first night there.   
  
These thoughts were gone as she turned on the water, pulled up the shower   
button, and closed the curtain. She had a few moments to tidy up a few things   
because she waited until the air in the shower had gotten warm along with the   
water. Otherwise it made her cold.  
  
She decided it should be warm by now and stepped in, the warmth of the   
water making it a little harder to breath. It didn't bother her though, so she   
closed her eyes and scrubbed in some conditioner. The smell was aromatic and one   
of her favorites. Rinsing it out she opened her eyes.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"  
  
Darien, who'd been reading the newpaper, heard the scream and ran top   
speed into the bathroom to find Serena heaped on top of the toilet with a towel   
wrapped around herself.   
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
She pointed to the upper corner of the shower and their he saw a small   
spider hanging a few inches down from it's web.  
  
"Well are you going to just stand there looking like an idiot or are you   
going to kill it?!"  
  
He looked at her and saw murder in those pretty blue eyes. He cringed a   
little and grapped some toilet paper and killed it. Deciding to freak her out,   
he put the dead carcass two inches from her face, effectively getting him a kick   
in the groin.  
  
"Ow, God Sere. Ughhhh."  
  
She leaned over his crumpled form on the floor and flicked his ear.   
  
"That's what you get for being an asshole."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
By the time Serena had gotten dressed and had a cup of coffee, Darien   
emerged from the bathroom, washcloth in hand.  
  
"What are you going to do with that?"  
  
He glared at her for a moment and she had to sustain laughter at the sight   
of him walking like he just spent an entire week riding on a horse.  
  
"Don't say anything. Or do anything. The slightest touch will just... you   
don't wanna know."  
  
"You mean you don't wanna know," she stated, approaching him in torcheous   
slow paces.  
  
"Sere, c'mon it was just a joke."  
  
"Uh huh. Whatever."  
  
Walking past him, she did nothing and he let out a sigh of relief.   
Smirking she a nearby coaster and chucked it between his legs.   
She closed the front door just in time to hear him scream.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The revoling doors of Sak's Fifth Avenue opened without a sound, giving   
any customer a feeling of efficiency. Employees approached any and all   
customers, trying to give them all a sense of comfort. That's what they were   
paid to do and they did it well. The past week's designing sale had gone   
wonderful and people were flocking from all over the city to get the even better   
sales during the aftermath.  
  
Serena entered this building and waved to a few workers she knew and took   
the elevator to the top floor where her office and three other designer's   
offices were located. The music played wasn't boring classical music that often   
made employees depressed. It was up beat pop from a local station that you've   
heard being pumped to the maximum in teenager's cars. Since most of the   
designer's were in their twenty's it didn't bother them much.  
  
Her designer glasses swung from a silver chain from her suit's pocket,   
something she needed for close-up details on her outfits. The one she was   
wearing was in fact one of her own creations. The cut and style were made to   
flatter her in every way from the straight-cut light blue undershirt to   
highlight her eyes, to the heeled sandals that made her seemed taller.   
  
Entering her office, she opened the blinds and spent a few minutes staring   
at the street below. Watching women walk out of the store carrying a specialty   
bag that indicated one of the inner designer's outfits put a large smile on her   
face. A slight breeze blew in and she took in a big breath before getting to   
work.  
  
She pushed the button on her CD player and popped one cinnamon tic-tac   
into her mouth before getting out her pencils, colored and lead, out and opening   
up to a new page in her notebook. The little lamp was pushed aside as the   
sunlight streaming in provided enough for her to see without squinting,   
something she'd read inhanced wrinkles.   
  
When she was finishing of the purse to go along with an evening gown she'd   
designed the week before, a knock came from her door. Before answering, she   
layed the glasses on the desk and brushed aside a few eraser marks.  
  
"Come in."  
  
The door opened and revealed a women with long black, almost greenish,   
waist-length hair that was pulled into a bun and piercing violet eyes.   
  
"Morning, Setsuna."  
  
"Morning, Serena. How are the winter formal outfits going?"  
  
Before replying she looked over the piece of paper in front of her and   
pondered the answer.  
  
"Pretty well. I have the first line done by next week."  
  
"Productive aren't we?" she asked seating herself in the chair next to   
Serena's.  
  
"Yeah. How did my line go at the sale last week?"  
  
"Well. There's only two left of yours and five of the other two's. We're   
having a party tonight to celebrate it at my place. Here's the address." Before   
walking out the door she told her that you had to come with someone.  
  
"Okay, I'll be there."  
  
After the door closed and she finished her design, Serena walked   
downstairs and browsed a few of the aisles looking for the dress to wear to the   
party. The card had said a simple cocktail dress would do so she walked into her   
friend's section that specialized in designing that kind of dress.   
  
A white one looked appealing but the cut was too conservative. The black   
one was too loose and made her look about ten pounds heavier. A silver one   
caught her eyes, the material ending three inches above the knee. The v-cut was   
a little revealing but she didn't mind. As her mother had told her once, flaunt   
it while their pure. Something like that. The point of it was to not be afraid   
of showing your body.   
  
She liked the spaghetti straps and the silver sash that went along with   
it. Twirling a few times infront of the dressing room mirror she decided it   
would work quite well. Now the only problem was finding someone to go with.   
Richard wouldn't work for obvious reasons. Literally. Maybe Darien would go.   
They'd be going as friends of course but that wouldn't bother her at all, nor   
would it him.  
  
Putting the bag on reserve, she went back to her office and dialed his, no   
*their* number. A groggy hello answered the phone.  
  
"Hey sleepy head. It's almost noon, aren't you going to do anything   
productive today?"  
  
"The only productive thing I do on Monday's is put sweat's over my boxers.   
That and maybe check my email."  
  
'Why am I not surprised?'  
  
"Would you like to come with me to a party tonight. It's just a small   
thing and you don't have to dress up real formally."  
  
"Sure, why not. I'll be missing Crossing Jordan though."  
  
"I'll pick up a tape so you can record it, okay?"  
  
"Yep. You said I can wear anything right?"  
  
"Yes you can. Just don't embarass me okay?"  
  
"Me? Embarass you? Do they sell drugs where you work?"  
  
"Shut up. I'll be home around six and the party doesn't start until seven.   
Be ready when I get home." She hung up before he could answer.   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The lights in the apartment were all on high when Serena entered it and   
she shielded her eyes with the brand her purse. Her dress was draped over her   
arm and a pair of shoes was hooked on her fingers. She kicked her shoes off and   
they landed in the corner next to her other four pairs. Each one had been   
designed by herself, a shameless personal advertisement.  
  
The door to the bedroom was open ever so slightly and she walked it to be   
covered in five pounds of flour. She coughed and sputtered angry curses and the   
clouds of dust were breathed in and got in-between her eyelids. She looked like   
a pale statue and her dress was ruined. The perpetrator lay doubled over on the   
bedroom floor, his face blue from laughing so hard.  
  
She threw down the dress and pinned him down, her legs on either side of   
his back and her arms twisting his in a very painful position. He struggled to   
get out but it was futile, she couldn't be taken off with a crowbar.  
  
"You IDIOT!! You just ruined my dress!! Now what am I gonna wear?" His   
arms were being pulled farther back and he hissed between clenched teeth. He   
never knew she had it in her.  
  
"I..I had to...get you back for...for kick...to groin," he wheezed now   
that his chest was being pulled back as well.   
  
"Well now I get my revenge by making you take me shopping and buying me   
whatever I want." She released him and went to the closet to find a less *white*   
outfit to wear.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Don't push me. And what are you wearing?" Now that she got a full look of   
him, she saw what he intended on wearing to the party. A pair of leather pants   
and a fuzzy dark blue sweater.  
  
"Your the fashion designer. You tell me."  
  
It's not like the outfit didn't suit him. The pants were just a little too   
teenager for someone in their late-twenties. The sweater was nice though,   
brought out the distinctions is his eyes.   
  
"You can't wear that to the party tonight," she told him through the now   
closed door as she threw on a pair of jeans and sweater of her own.  
  
"And why not? You said I could wear anything and it's not like I'm wearing   
jeans or anything. I thought it looked presentable," he pouted feighning hurt.  
  
"It's not that. It's just I thought you would have.. oh never mind. Just   
get your credit card."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
After about fifteen minutes at Macy's, Serena found something she liked.   
It wasn't as nice as the silver one but she liked the shade of cerulean. It's   
length was the same but it was more of a tube-top kind of cut without sleeves at   
the top and a slit on both sides that ran to the top of her thigh. When she   
walked out of the dressing room Darien lifted an eyebrow.  
  
"What? Straight men like this kind of thing."  
  
"It makes your thighs look big."  
  
"No it doesn't. It just makes you feel uncomfortable. You keep your   
opinions to yourself and I'll keep mine to myself. Deal?" she asked extending a   
silver gloved hand to him. He shook it and paid for the dress, returning home.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
By six fourty-five, both residents of the tall complex were ready. He had   
thrown a light jacket over the sweater and she put a black woolen shawl around   
her shoulders as they went down to the car. He'd parked in front instead of the   
garage since they would be returning to it in a few minutes and it prevented   
them from being frozen in the night September air.  
  
Buckling in he turned into traffic and she directed him until they got to   
a place where they'd have a five minute space between the next direction.  
  
"How do you know this person that's throwing the party?"  
  
"She's my boss. It's her apartment that it's being held at too. She's   
really nice. I think you'll like her."  
  
"I don't know, she sounds kinda crazy. Who throws a party on Monday   
night?" he asked turning down another street. She gripped the door handle as he   
turned a little too late.  
  
"This is New York. What night isn't there a party going on?"   
  
"Good point. Now where do I turn?"  
  
"Left. It's.... that one." She pointed to large building and they had to   
strain their necks to look at it, even from a block a way.   
  
"Who would wanna live so high?"  
  
"Stop criticizing her and drive."  
  
He mimicked her under his breath and pulled into the front entrance. An   
older man took their car and parked while another, a little younger first, led   
them in the elevator to her room, a condo on the top floor.   
  
The place was large, but a little smaller than the one Darien and Serena   
shared. Clusters of people were scattered around the room, leaving them to   
notice the line of books on one wall, the large dining room on the other. It had   
lit candles on it and china dishes, something Serena hadn't seen since Lita's   
wedding.   
  
"Serena, you made it."  
  
The two of them turned in the direction of one of the larger groups where   
Setsuna was approaching them. She was wearing a burgundy dress, the trail   
dragging a few feet behind her. One long, clear sleeve covered one arm while the   
other was left bare minus a few gold chains wrapped around them.  
  
"Hello Sets. This is Darien, my roomate."  
  
Setsuna eyed him from toe to hair and smiled, her eyes showing much   
approval. The smile changed to flirty and she extended her sixty dollar set of   
nailed hand for him to kiss. He only shook it and she hid her dissapointment   
well.   
  
"Nice to meet you. That outfit is very stylish for a man. Did you pick it   
out yourself?"  
  
"Yes I did." Her gaze was making him a little uncomfortable and he began   
to wish he hadn't come along.   
  
"Serena, can I talk to you for a moment?" Setsuna asked, her gaze still   
half focused on him.  
  
"Of course. We'll only be a minute."  
  
Dragging Serena away, Setsuna let her giddiness get the best of her and   
jumped a few inches.  
  
"Serena you have to help me get that guy. He's fabulous! His style, hair,   
those eyes!! God girl, I'm surprised you haven't snagged him yet. Are you   
crazy?"  
  
"Sets, he's-"  
  
"Gorgeous? I totally agree. Now, what would be a good topic of discussion   
for him?"  
  
Serena stared at her boss and stifled a giggle. If she wasn't going to   
listen, fine. Let her find out the hard way.  
  
"Why don't you talk to him about your trip to England. Show him your   
collection of paintings. I'm sure he'd love that."  
  
"Your right. I don't want to leave you alone so why don't you talk to Jake   
over there? I've told him sooo much about you."  
  
"Sure. Have fun," and with a little wave, she was gone.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She stared after them for a few moments before turning towards the large   
food platters that were arranged on a table near the windows. There was a   
vegetarian platter, meat platter, seafood platter.. it was all that you'd need.   
Grabbing a plate, she loaded it up with some of each and sat down in a cushy   
chair near the balcony. The moon was out now and she checked the clock to see it   
at seven-thirty. Time seemed to be going slowly tonight.   
  
A man who looked to be around her age approached and took a seat across   
from her, swirling some wine in his glass. He smiled at her, the whiteness of   
his teeth both blinding her and telling her his occupation.  
  
"So your a dentist?"  
  
He stared at her for a few seconds with disbelief, then extending an arm.  
  
"Jake Williams. Yourself?" Setting down the plate on a nearby small table,   
she took his hand and shook it.  
  
"Serena Liance(lee-on-se). Pleasure to meet you."  
  
"Setsuna's told me a lot about you. I've seen your designs. There very   
good," he told her between swigs.  
  
"Thank you. I try."  
  
"You didn't design what your wearing." It was a statement not a question.   
She nodded and was interested by someone who could tell her clothing by sight.  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"It's not you."  
  
They stared at eachother for a few moments before shouting interuppted   
them.   
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'I'M NOT INTERESTED?!'"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Setsuna walked away from Serena, a plan formulating in that stylish mind   
of hers. She ran through her lines in her mind and with each step her confidence   
grew. She was a woman who got her man in the end and Darien was her objective   
for the night. Never in her dating carreer had a man turned down her seductive   
charms. Why should this one be any different?  
  
"Have you ever been to Europe?"  
  
"I have. It's one of my favorite vacation places."  
  
"What a coincedense, that's mine too. I love staying in a French villa   
whenever I have a show in Milan."  
  
"Why would you stay in France if your show is in Italy?" She was a little   
taken aback by this comment for never had she been questioned in her thinking.  
  
"The countries are so small that I can jump from one to the other in the   
day and be back in time for the show."  
  
He nodded in a passive way and turned slightly away from her to look   
around at a few of the other people in the room. He saw Serena getting food from   
the platters and wished he was over there talking about something without it   
being in attempt to sleep with him.  
  
"You know, this place is kind of stuffy for my style. Crowds and   
everything. Why don't we go downstairs? There's a little place down the street-"  
  
"I think your a really nice person but I don't like you that way." She   
blinked twice and tilted her head at an angle.  
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
Her nativity was getting on his nerves and he forgot his manners in his   
reply, making it come out in more of a growl than a polite response.  
  
"I'm not interested." He watched in amazement as he eyes turned to red   
fire and she slammed her glass onto the table.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'I'M NOT INTERESTED?!"  
  
He cringed and opened his eyes to find the entire group of people staring   
at them. He took a few steps back, meeting Serena's gaze and she got the hint.  
  
She rose from her seat and approached Setsuna carefully as if she were a   
china doll that could fall and break at any moment.   
  
"Setsuna, he's gay," she whispered into the older woman's ear.   
  
Trying to keep whatever pride she had left, she gave him and the group of   
people a half-smile and walked into her bedroom not to be seen for the rest of   
the party.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"So, did you get his number," Darien asked between bites of his pizza.   
They'd decided to end the party about a half-an-hour after the 'incident' as   
they now called it and upon arriving home the duo had ordered a pizza and   
settled on the queen size bed to eat and talk about Jake.  
  
"Yes. He said he'd call me tommorow though. It's odd that a dentist would   
know what I've designed and what I haven't."  
  
"Kinda creepy if you ask me."   
  
She whacked him along the side of the head with a pillow and finished her   
slice.  
  
"Bite me leatherboy."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
That's chapter 2!! Please write me so I know if I should cancel this show or   
not. I love feedback so don't hesitate to do so!! Thank you to my editors Michi   
and Emily who give me confidence with their enthusiastic ideas. Also, if you are   
going to email me, don't make it mean, like "Darien being gay is gross" because   
I never said he would always be gay. So, if it's not like that, I love recieving   
positive responses. 


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